There are many medical procedures where a patient's body is accessed through their oral cavity, e.g., during procedures involving access into the gastrointestinal (“GI”) system, airways, or other body cavities (e.g., a NOTES procedure) of the patient. For example, an endoscope or gastroscope may be introduced into a patient's oral cavity, and through the pharyngeal region, e.g., through the pharynx and into the esophagus, to observe and/or perform procedures involving organs within the GI system. One of the risks of such procedures is that the patient may accidentally bite down on the endoscope, which may risk damaging the endoscope and/or injuring the patient.
To reduce such risks, bite blocks may be provided, which are relatively short sleeves configured to be placed through the mouth into the oral cavity. The bite blocks may be sized to hold the mouth open and include a passage for introducing an endoscope therethrough into the oral cavity. The bite blocks may include a flange on one end that may be placed against or adjacent the patient's teeth to prevent the bite block from passing entirely into the oral cavity.
Thus, the bite block may protect the endoscope from damage, e.g., if the patient accidentally bites down during a procedure. Bite blocks, however, still require introducing an endoscope from the oral cavity into the patient's oropharynx, esophagus, and the like, which may require substantial manipulation by the physician or other user to navigate from the oral cavity to the desired location.
In addition or alternatively, a flexible or rigid airway tube may be introduced through a bite block and/or directly into the patient's oral cavity, e.g., into the pharynx or other desired location. An endoscope may then be introduced through the airway tube to access the patient's GI system. Such airway tubes, however, may present substantial frictional resistance to advancement of an endoscope, particularly if the airway tube includes sharp bends or buckles at natural bends in the patient's anatomy.
In addition, bite blocks do not provide a convenient way to monitor the patient's breathing and/or introducing fluids into the oral cavity. For example, generally, a nasal cannula may be used in combination with a bite block or otherwise to deliver oxygen to the patient, as needed during an endoscopic procedure. Such a cannula, however, may not deliver oxygen easily through restrictive tissues, such as the nasal sinuses or the oropharynx, e.g., if soft tissues, such as the tongue, soft palate, and the like, collapse due to sedation. Thus, oxygen delivered via a nasal cannula may not adequately reach the patient's lungs.
Accordingly, devices that facilitate access into the oral cavity, e.g., to introduce endoscopes, and/or otherwise perform medical procedures via the oral cavity, would be useful.